Torque ball



APril 1955 A. P. NIEDERBERGER 3,179,412

TORQUE BALL Filed July 3. 1962 INVENTOR. A/berf E M'ederberger BY )h H/S ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,179,412 TORQUE BALL 1 Albert P. Niederberger, 125 Koegler Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed July 3, 1962, Ser. No. 207,235 Claims. (Cl. 273'-58) This invention relates to improved game equipment, and particularly, to a new and improved form of ball for use in a game simulating baseball. 7

The game equipment of my invention is particularly suitable for backyards, small lots, etc., as the space re quirements are not great and there is little or no danger of injury to the players or to adjacent windows, etc.

There has been a definite need for a type of ball game that can be played without any danger by young and old alike, that has a definite limitation on the distance that the ball can be hit, but that also, unlike softball, for example, will give a full simulation of a regular ball game and will fully develop the hitting and pitching skill of a regular ball game. That is, the type of ball used should be capable of being thrown in the various ways of a regular baseball with the attendant deception to the batter, and should give the batter the feel and sound evidences of a successful hit.

After many attempts to provide a ball of the type needed, I finally discovered it should be of relatively light Weight somewhat resilient material that will stand up These and other objects will appear to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In thedrawings, FIGURE 1 is a reduced longitudinal side view of a preferred form of a bat for use in my game;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal side view in elevation of.

a ball constructed in accordance with my invention; this figure is drawn to actual scale;

FIGURE 3 is an end view in elevation of the ball of FIGURE 2, on the scaleof and taken from either end of such figure;

FIGURE 4 is a side section in elevation taken along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3, showing detailsof the construction;

FIGURE 5 is an end section taken along the line V--V" of FIGURE 2, also showing details of the construction.

In FIGURE 1, I have shown a bat 10 having acylindrical batting portion 11 that extends longitudinally along its major dimension, a cylindrical handle portion 12 of slightly less diameter, and a lower end flange portion 13.

I have successfully employed a bat' having an overall tinuous curvilinear periphery having an elongated length greater than its diameter, and a pair of opposite, circular ends 17 that are of corresponding construction with respect to each other. It will be noted particularly from FIGURES 2 to 4, that each end 17 has a centrally-disposed depressed portion 17a in the nature of -a transverse, open-end cross-groove and a pair of opposed and upwardly-outwardly sloped side faces 17b that meet or are "ice joined at the groove portion 17a. The faces 17b terminate at opposite side portions of the cylindrical surface area 16 or of the longitudinal periphery of the ball at apex edges 17c.

It will be noted that each end 17 is preferably of curved or concave shape, transversely across the cylindrical area 16 and, in this connection, its groove portion 17a may have a depth of about inch with respect to the opposed apex edges 17c. In a ball 15 of preferred size, the length from end to end, between apex edges, is about 1% inches, and diameter of the cylindrical surface area 16 is about 1% inches. I employ a cork-like base or core material 18 and a closely-adherent, surrounding, rubberized, smooth-surface, relatively-thin, protective enclosure or coating 19 of substantially uniform thickness that is integral therewith and that provides a shape-retaining, impervious, protective, wear and shock-resistant cover there for. The cover 19 fully closes-01f and fills surface pores of the cork body 18 and encloses its surface areas to define the ball and impart a softened resiliency thereto. The diameter of the cylindrical area may be about 1% inches. Each end 17 is smoothly notched so as to provide a guide surface for receiving the index finger of the hand of a pitcher in throwing the ball. The index finger will extend along the groove of the concave portion at a back end of the ball and the thumb may be pressed against the front portion of the cylindrical side surface 16 to hold the opposite front end portion of the side surface against the second finger of the hand. The ball is thus released and thrown longitudinally of its length axis. It has, by reason'of its shape and construction, limitedrollability. d i

The ball 15 of my invention is shown made of a resilient material in the nature of cork which is porous, some what brittle and very light in weightand has little strength, although it has a suitable resilience. I determined that a cork ball, in itself, cannot be successfully employed, as it will readily chip and break-up, has not enough body for throwing and hitting, and will give little or no sound evidence when hit by :a bat. It will also tend to absorb moisture and produce marked weight variations.

In trying various methods in an endeavor to provide av relatively light-weight and resilient ball by the use of an outer core wrapping, etc., I found that it would not be satisfactory and determined th'at the problem could only be solved by applying a surface coating which would,

itself, be resilient and, at the same time, resist wear, provide smoothness of grip and ball release, fully protect and seal-off the interstices or'pores of the cork body, and provide an integral construction that would stand-up under conditions of wear and tear as well as provide a requisite softened resiliencyor bounce to the ball. In this connection, I tried various types of paints, applied one and more coatings, and found that a conventional oilbase or water-base type of paint was unsatisfactory. After considerable experimentation, I discovered that a resin type of paint, for example, neoprene in aquick drying solvent and preferably of a white color, would be highly satisfactory.

About two or there coatings of a resilient rubberized type of paint, allowingfull drying between each application, were found to provide requisite qualities in the ball. This provides a coating orcover 19 which is not absorbed within the pores of the cork to thus spoil its characteristics but'which seals-off the pores of the outer surface, provides a tough and wear-resistant ball and greatly strengthens the cork core 19. Since the coatinglS is resilient, in itself, it contributes to the playing qualities of the ball and enhances the resilience of the cork to provide a ball having a weight of less than one ounce whose playing characteristics are excellent and that will I have a long period of useful life. I early determined that It Will be noted that the ball has greater length than width or diameter so as to provide it with an unusual and somewhat erratic type of movement through the air when thrown or hit by a bat. However, a pitcher lows when: a batted ground ball stops or is stopped by the pitcher before it reaches the single marker, a batted fly ball caught anywhere, a batted fly ball alighting and stopping before it reaches the single marker (ball need not be caught), or a Strikeout. A double play may be v effected if a batted ball is fielded faultlessly (without can learn to accurately control its line of throw. Refer-.

ring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the bat 10 has been found to be particularly suitable for this type of ball to provide an ideal game for small backyard lots without danger-of breaking windows and injury to the players.

By providing depressed or grooved ends in the ball as utilized with its particular shape, curves can be thrown without any need for the pitcher to twist his arm. Various types of balls may be thrown such as a slow, a fast, a drop, an out-drop, out-curves, a floater of medium speed, and'in-drop or an in-curve. An overhead pitch produces a fast ball with a slight hop or a slow ball, according to the force employed; a sidearm pitch produces a curve; an underarm pitch produces a drop. When the index finger is placed lengthwise along the ball and the thumb is placed in a corresponding position along an opposite side of the ball, a directly overhead pitch produces a drop, an overhand or u'nderhand pitch produces an out-drop, and a sidearm pitch produces an out-curve. When the index and middle fingers are side by side in the direction of balls circumference (the ball is released with a clockwise turn), an overhand pitch produces an in-drop, and a sidearm pitch produces a sharp out-drop. When the index finger is centered in the middle of the balls length in the direction of its circumference, a directly overhead pitch produces a floater with a slight hop at medium speed. The curving of the ball in the various pitches is possible without twistingthe arm muscles. The shape of the ball, in addition to making possible the various types of throws, limits the amount of its roll on the ground.

A ball constructed in accordance with my invention will produce-a definite crac when hit similar to that of a baseball. Although as previously pointed out, the

weight of the ball is less than one ounce, as slightly increased by the coating, its speed (when pitched or batted) will assume the same relative speed as a baseball. For instance, a long high fly can begotten under and caught by the pitcher acting as a fielder. The relative resiliency of the ball permits grounders or any fly balls to be handled in much the same manner as a baseball.

A game employing equipment of my invention presents a unique challenge to the batter and pitcher, in that all the curves of abaseball throw plus more (after some experience) are available for outwitting the batter. In batting, the shorter distance of as well as the variety of pitches makes a definite challenge to any hitter. He will, after some experience, acquire a sharp coordination of mind and body in judging pitches and in swinging.

A game employing the equipment of my invention does not require a large playing field, base running may be effected although it is not required, and a minimum of two players is all-that is needed; more players may be used as desired for fielding. The arm muscles cannot be twisted as in pitching some baseball curves. In laying out the field, I prefer to use a distance between the pitcher and batter of about 40 feet, but this may be lessened if desired. The basis for a base hit is the distance the ball is hit; for this reason, markers may be placed at various distances along foul lines (and through center as desired) as follows'z' a rectangular plot with markers placed at about 55 feet from home plate along foul lines and through center for a single base hit, at about 70 feet for a two base hit, at about 85 feet for a three base hit, and at about 95 feet for a home run. Each team may pitch or bat until three outs occur in each half inning. Balls fumble) before it stops within the single area when there are runners on the bases in such position as to be forced; in such event, the most advanced runner and the batter are out. As to hits, no baserunning is required. For-a single (advancing a runner only one base), a batted ground ball or fly ball stoppingbefore it reaches the double marker is needed. For a single advancing a runner two bases a batted ball passing the double marker on the ground to any distance is needed. For a double (two base hit), a batted ball alighting between the double and triple (three base hit) markers, regardless of the distance it travels on the ground thereafter, is needed. For a triple (three base hit), a batted fly ball alighting between the triple and home run markers, regardless of the distance it travels thereafter is needed. For a home run, a batted fly ball alighting past the home run marker is needed. 7

The relative light weight and resilient construction of the ball prevents personal injury or property damage. The cork material. gives a softened resiliency with the coating used. The ball does not have the live bounce of a rubber ball, but more of a restrained, shock-absorbing resiliency. It will be noted that an important feature of a game ball of my invention is its relatively long throwing axis or length dimension as compared to its height dimension. Another feature is the employment of a shape having rounded surfaces with offset side portions to limitits roll on the-ground, to facilitate the throwing operation, t0 improve deception, and to increase its effectiveness.

A An important characteristic is imparted to the ball by reason of the fact that, as shown, it is transversely bound by a continuous curvilinear periphery and has offset portions which limit its rollability.

What I claim is: j

1. In a game ball of the character shown and described for use in a modified form of a baseball game, an elongated integral solid body of substantially cylindrical shape of cork-like material; a closely-adherent smooth-surface relatively-thin rubberized protective cover of substantially and strikes may be decided by mutual agreement in absence of an umpire. Outs may be'indicated as foluniform thickness fully closing-off surface pores of and enclosing surface areas of said body to define a ball; said coating imparting a softened resiliency to-said ball; said ball being transversely-bounded by a continuous curvilinear periphery and having a length that is greater than .its diameter, and said ball having at each of its longitudinal. ends a centrally-disposed transversely-extending open-end groove portion whose sides are sloped towards opposite sides of its longitudinal periphery and define a pair of opposed apex edges along such opposite sides of the periphery.

2. In a game ball as defined in claim 1 wherein said protective cover comprises painted-on solidified layers of resin paint in the nature of a neoprene base paint.

3. In a game ball as defined in claim 1 wherein said groove portion, said sides and said apexes at each end of said body are smoothly-curved to fit with and receive the index or middle finger of the hand of a pitcher therein.

'4. In a game ball as defined in claim 1 wherein, the protective cover comprises a plurality of solidified paintedon layers of a rubberized paint, and such protective cover constitutes the full outer covering for said solid body.

, 5. In a game ball of the character shown and described for use in a modified form of baseball game, an elongated integral solid body of substantially cylindrical shape of cork-like material; a smooth-surface relatively-thin rubberized protective cover of substantially uniform thickness fully closing-oif surface pores of and enclosing surface areas of said body, said coating being closely adher- 5 ent to said body and imparting a softened resiliency to said body to define a ball; said ball being transverselybounded by a continuously-curvilinear periphery and having a length that is greater than its diameter, said ball having at each of its longitudinal ends a centrally-dis- 5 posed elongated cross-extending open-end depressed portion for receiving therealong the finger of the hand of a pitcher to guide it in its flight and to impart, along with its cylindrically-elongated shape, an eccentric type of movement when thrown or batted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,242,455 5/41 De Beer 273-60 2,683,603 7/54 Gackenbach 27395 X 2,757,002 7/56 Ryden 273-67 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. LOVE. Examiner. 

1. IN A GAM BALL OF THE CHARACTER SHOWN AND DESCRIBED FOR USE IN A MODIFIED FORM OF A BASEBALL GAME, AN ELONGATED INTEGRAL SOLID BODY OF SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SHAPE OF CORE-LIKE MATERIAL; A CLOSELY-ADHERENT SMOOTH-SURFACE RELATIVELY-THIN RUBBERIZED PROTECTIVE COVER OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS FULLY CLOSING-OFF SURFACE PORES OF AND ENCLOSING SURFACE AREAS OF SAID BODY TO DEFINE A BALL; SAID COATING IMPARTING A SOFTENED RESILIENCY TO SAID BALL; SAID BALL BEING TRANSVERSELY-BOUNDED BY A CONTINUOUS CURVILINEAR PERIPHERY AND HAVING A LENGTH THAT IS GREATER THAN ITS DIAMETER, AND SAID BALL HAVING AT EACH OF ITS LONGITUDINAL ENDS A CENTRALLY-DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY-EXTENDING OPEN-END GROOVE PORTION WHOSE SIDES ARE SLOPED TOWARDS OPPOSITE SIDES OF ITS LONGITUDINAL PERIPHERY AND DEFINE A PAIR OF OPPOSED APEX EDGES ALONG SUCH OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PERIPHERY. 